Someone You Trust
by purplerayz
Summary: Reid shows up on Hotch’s doorstep with no recollection of how he got there or of the past day. With little evidence of what happened, they have to rely on his memory coming back to figure it out.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or its characters... That statement makes me sadder than I'd like to admit...**

**Anyways, as always, I hope you like! I appreciate reviews and comments!**

* * *

The young man made his way down the sidewalk in the late evening light. The street he was on looked somehow familiar to him, but he couldn't recall why. He passed a few houses until he saw one that stood out to him. He recognized it, too. He found himself walking, well, maybe closer to stumbling, up to the house as his legs began to feel weak. He knocked on the door and stood there, waiting.

As he heard someone approaching and beginning to unlock the door, he started to feel lightheaded and the world began to spin around him.

"Reid?" He barely heard the voice before his knees buckled underneath him, and he was only vaguely aware of the arms catching him and stopping him from hitting the ground.

* * *

"Reid?" He heard the voice calling him from far away. "Reid!" It was a little louder now, and he began to hear other sounds around him as well. He slowly forced his eyes open, blinking a few times as the blurriness began to fade away. He was lying on a couch, but he couldn't remember how he had gotten there. He stared at the ceiling above him while trying to negate some of the confusion that filled his mind.

"Reid. Reid, look at me." He moved his gaze away from the ceiling when he realized that someone was talking to him. He knew the man. He was sure of it, but it took his brain a moment to connect the face with a name.

"Hotch?" He saw the worried expression on Hotch's face lesson a bit. "Wha...what's going on? What happened?"

"You passed out." He tried sitting up, but a wave of dizziness swept through him.

"Take it easy, Reid. You need to lie back down." Reid let Hotch gently push him back down onto the couch, and he closed his eyes until the dizziness passed. When he opened them again, Hotch was watching him carefully.

"Why am I at your house?" Reid asked.

"You don't remember coming here?" Hotch asked worriedly.

"No... Why am I here?"

"I was hoping you could tell me. You showed up here and passed out on my doorstep. That was ten minutes ago," Hotch told Reid. "I called Dave. He was in the neighborhood, so he should be here in a minute. We were going to take you to the hospital if you didn't wake up by the time he got here."

There was a soft knock on the door, and Hotch went to let Rossi in.

"How is he?" Reid heard Rossi ask.

"He's awake, but he doesn't remember coming here."

Reid tried to sit up again. He forced himself to stay upright and closed his eyes as another wave of dizziness came over him. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked to see Hotch kneeling in front of him again.

"Reid?"

"...I'm okay."

"Come on. We're going to take you to the hospital," Rossi said.

"No, I'm fine," Reid tried. "I don't need a hospital."

"No, Reid. You're not getting out of this. You don't remember coming here, so you can't know that you're fine either."

"...okay." Reid finally agreed when he realized he couldn't argue with that. He stood up and swayed slightly. Hotch's hands steadied him.

"You think you can make it to the vehicle?" Rossi asked.

Reid nodded, and they made their way outside. He could feel Hotch and Rossi watching him closely, ready to catch him if he began to sway again. They made to Rossi's vehicle without incident, and Hotch opened the back door for Reid before getting into the front passenger seat.

"Reid, what do you remember?" Hotch asked after a minute.

Reid knew this question was coming, but he didn't have an answer for it. "What day is it?" he asked. His question earned him worried looks from the two men in the front seat.

"Saturday," Hotch replied.

"I...I don't remember anything after leaving work yesterday," Reid said as he realized he had no recollection of the past day.

"Nothing?"

"...nothing."

"Are you hurt anywhere, Reid? I didn't see any injuries besides a few scratches on your face."

"No. I don't think so, at least. Just a bit dizzy still. I feel...drugged," Reid admitted. His own statement sent a shiver up his spine at the thought of it. It was a feeling he had never wanted to have again.

The next couple hours passed in a bit of a blur for Reid as the doctors and nurses passed through his room, asking question, drawing blood, and doing other tests, until he was finally allowed to rest.

* * *

_Reid stepped out of the elevator into the parking garage. As he made his way to his car, an uneasy feeling crept upon him. He looked around him as he felt like he was being watched, but he saw no one._


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or its characters... Sad thought, I know.**

**I appreciate reviews and comments!**

* * *

Reid opened his eyes at the sound of a soft knock on his door.

"How are you feeling?" Hotch asked as he and Rossi entered the room.

"A little better, I think," Reid answered, but he still felt a bit out of it and confused.

"We just spoke with your doctor. You were drugged, Reid."

Though Reid had already guessed that, it still unnerved him to hear Hotch actually say the words and confirm his suspicions. "With what?"

Hotch hesitated before he answered. "They don't know. They can't identify what it is, so they don't know if you'll remember what happened either."

"When can I get out of here?" Reid asked.

"They're going to keep you here until they're sure it's out of your system just to be safe. They can't give you anything to help with your symptoms since they don't know how it will react with whatever's in your system."

Reid wanted to get out of this place, but he was too tired to argue.

"We'll figure out what happened, Reid," Rossi said encouragingly. "What's the last thing you remember?"

"Going to my car after work."

"Do you remember anything after that at all?"

"No, but I had the feeling I was being watched."

"Okay, we'll start from there. We'll let you know if we find anything. You just get some rest, alright?"

Reid nodded and was already almost asleep by the time they left the room.

* * *

_Reid reached his car with the uneasy feeling still inside him. As he heard someone behind him, the uneasy feeling was pushed to the back of his mind as his instincts and training set in. He reached for the gun at his hip, only to find a hand already there._

* * *

"I can't imagine what this is doing to him," Hotch said as they were driving towards the BAU.

"What do you mean?" Rossi asked. "He's stronger than we give him credit for. I'm sure he can handle it."

"I know he can, but being drugged again... I don't know what that is going to do to him," Hotch admitted.

Rossi hadn't been there in the aftermath of the first time, but he knew the basic details. "He'll get through it. And we'll help him if we have to, but we'll cross that bridge when it comes. Let's figure out what happened to him first."

Hotch nodded, and they continued the rest of the ride in silence.

* * *

When Hotch and Rossi arrived at the BAU, they headed directly for Garcia's office.

"How's my junior g-man doing?" Garcia asked as soon as they came in.

"He should be fine," Hotch told her. "Morgan's sitting with him right now, and we have an officer posted outside his room just in case. Thank you for coming in this late, Garcia."

"Of course, I would do anything for our boy genius, and I want to know what happened to him just as much as you do. Now, what do you need?"

"I need you to access the security cameras in the parking garage from yesterday and find when Reid left. That's the last thing he remembers, so we'll start with that. If he left here fine, then we'll have to try his apartment next."

"Okay, just give me a minute." Hotch and Rossi waited patiently while Garcia typed away.

"Okay, I've got him leaving," Garcia said. They watched as Reid walked towards his car. He looked around behind him, but kept moving.

The three people watching the screen all held their breath as they saw someone approaching Reid as he neared his car. They watched as Reid reached for his gun when he realized someone was behind him, but the man was faster. In one swift movement, the man had removed Reid's gun from its holster.

Reid turned around towards the man, and a shocked expression came across his face. Something wasn't right. The man wasn't pointing the gun at Reid or even holding it in a threatening manner.

"What the hell..." Rossi mumbled as the man held the gun out to Reid. Reid had a dumbfounded look on his face as he stared at the man. He hesitated before he reached out and took his gun, replacing it in his holster.

They couldn't see the man's face, but they guessed he was talking to Reid. Reid still held a shocked expression on his face as they talked to each other. Finally, he turned around and got into his car. The man walked around and got in the passenger seat with him.

"Garcia, did any of the cameras catch his face?" Hotch asked.

"No," Garcia said after a couple minutes of searching. "His face is always hidden from it."

"You know what this means," Rossi directed towards Hotch, who nodded.

"What? What does this mean?" Garcia asked Rossi, but it was Hotch who answered.

"It means Reid knows him."


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or its characters... Maybe it's a good thing that I don't, though. I would probably keep them all to myself! :)**

**I appreciate reviews and comments!**

* * *

Reid woke and found he wasn't alone, as he had been when he had fallen asleep. "Did they send you to babysit me?" he asked.

Morgan had been staring at the floor, lost in thought, but looked up as he realized Reid was awake. "Hey, kid. How are you feeling?"

"Like I was drugged," Reid answered. "Is that really necessary?" he asked as he looked at the police officer standing outside the door.

"It's just a precaution. We don't know if you're still in any danger."

"You should go home and sleep. I'll be fine by myself. I have my own bodyguard out there, too."

"Aw, come on. You know I'd rather be here babysitting you," Morgan smiled at him and received a slight smile back. "And besides, you know if I wasn't here, I'd be trying to figure out what happened to you, not sleeping."

They were interrupted by a knock on the door, and Hotch and Rossi came into the room.

"Good, you're wake," Rossi said.

"Did you find something?" Reid asked hopefully.

"Yeah, we did," Hotch sighed. "We looked at the cameras in the parking garage. You know him Reid."

"What?"

"You know him," Rossi repeated. "He got into your car with you, and you left together."

"Did the camera catch his face?" Morgan asked.

"No," Rossi answered. "He's smart. He knew exactly how to hide his face from the cameras."

"You seemed shocked to see him, Reid, but you let him into your car. Do you have any idea who it could have been?"

"No... Are you sure it's even the guy who did this, and not just a coincidence?"

"Yes. He was purposely hiding his face from the cameras, and he seemed to know exactly where they were, too."

"Do you have any idea where you'd go?" Rossi asked.

"No. I guess maybe my apartment. You can try looking there, but I don't know if you'll find anything."

"Okay."

"It's late," Reid said. "You guys should go home and sleep. It can wait until morning."

"Alright, fine," Hotch agreed. "But only if you promise to get some rest yourself."

Reid nodded, and Hotch and Rossi left. "I meant you, too," Reid said to Morgan.

"I'm not going anywhere, kid."

Reid didn't bother to try to argue with him again. He laid back and quickly fell back asleep.

* * *

_Reid turned around to face his attacker. He stopped short when he saw the man. He wasn't pointing the gun at him, but holding it out for him to take back. Reid hesitated, uncertain of the man's motive, but took the gun and put it back in its holster._

"_Just be glad I wasn't someone who wanted to hurt you," the man said._

"_What are you doing here?" Reid asked._

"_I was hoping we could talk."_

"_I'm listening."_

"_Preferably, not here."_

_Reid hesitated for a moment. "Fine. Get in," he said and turned around to get into his car._

* * *

Reid slowly opened his eyes. Morgan had fallen asleep in the chair next to him. He could still feel the drugs in his system, though he could tell they had lessoned some. His memory seemed to be slowly coming back to him, but it still wasn't all the way there. He thought about what he just remembered, but didn't know what to think of it.

The memory wasn't quite complete. He couldn't quite see the face of the man for some reason. It was still blurry to him. _How convenient_, he thought dryly. The voice was familiar to him, but he couldn't quiet place it either.

The being drugged part suddenly didn't bother him anymore; it was the other part that did. He knew the person. He trusted the person. If only he could remember the person. The drugs that were still in his system seemed to affect the ability of his brain to make the connection it was trying to make.

Reid became frustrated. He normally remembered everything, even the tiniest details, but now, a whole day was missing from his mind.

A thought suddenly occurred to him, though. Did he really want to know what happened? If this was someone he knew, someone he trusted, did he really want to know what they did to him? He wasn't sure he did, but he also knew it would drive him crazy if he didn't find out.

He closed his eyes again and tried to relax in the hopes that more of the memory would come back to him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or its characters... Oh, but how I would love to own the one and only Dr. Spencer Reid! :D**

**I appreciate reviews and comments!**

* * *

Hotch and Rossi reached the door to Reid's apartment. Rossi tried the door and was surprised to find it unlocked. He and Hotch drew their guns, unsure of what they'd find inside. They searched the apartment but found no one inside.

"He was definitely here," Rossi said, noting Reid's messenger bag hung across a kitchen chair.

"But what made him leave without his keys?" Hotch pointed to the table where Reid's keys lay, along with his FBI badge.

"No signs of a struggle," Rossi commented.

"Maybe there wouldn't be if he knew the man."

"Nothing seems out of place."

"And his car is here, too," Hotch said. They had seen it in the parking lot on their way in.

"So did he come here with him or by himself?"

"He had to be with him. Reid didn't leave here willingly. He wouldn't have left without his keys or badge."

"Are we still sure it's the same guy?" Rossi asked. "Reid could have been right. It could have been a coincidence."

"I don't think so. It would just be too much of a coincidence. But with nothing out of place, I doubt we're going to be able to figure out what happened unless Reid remembers," Hotch admitted.

They were quiet for a moment before Rossi spoke up. "Do you notice something missing?"

Hotch took another quick look around. "Yeah," he answered. "Reid's gun."

* * *

"Okay, thanks," Morgan said and closed his phone. "That was Hotch. You were definitely at your apartment. Your car is there, and your bag, keys, and badge are there, but your gun is missing. The door was unlocked, but nothing looked out of place to them."

"They didn't find anything else?" Reid asked.

"No. Sorry, kid." Morgan could tell Reid was frustrated by not knowing what happened, and he was, too. He was glad Reid was okay, but couldn't help but wonder what had happened to him. If he hadn't been physically hurt, then what did this man do to him?

Morgan watched as Reid sighed and closed his eyes. He still looked tired and worn out but better than when he had first seen him the night before. He soon heard Reid's breathing become slow and steady as he fell back asleep.

* * *

_Reid unlocked his apartment door and went inside, letting the man come in before closing the door behind them. He threw his keys and badge on the kitchen table and slung his messenger bag over a chair. He removed the gun from his hip and placed it beside his badge before turning around to face the man. They stared at each for awhile before the man finally spoke._

"_Aren't you going to say something? This quietness really doesn't suit you."_

"_You're the one who wanted to talk."_

"_Right..."_

"_Either say what you wanted to say or just leave," Reid said as he became more annoyed with the man's hesitancy._

"_How have you been?"_

"_Is that really why you're here? To ask how I've been?"_

"_No... Well, partially maybe."_

"_Would you stop playing games and just tell me why you're here?" Reid almost yelled._

"_I'm here for you."_

"_What's that supposed to mean?"_

"_I'm here to take you away, Spencer," the man said. Something had changed in his voice, and Reid didn't like it._

"_What the hell do you mean by that? Take me away from what?"_

"_From this. From everything. You don't have to hurt anymore."_

"_I don't hurt. And what makes you think I would come with you anyway?" Reid asked._

"_I came prepared for that. I didn't think you'd want to come willingly, but it will be better for you. You'll see."_

_Reid was becoming concerned. This was not the man he once knew. Something made him reach for his gun, and the man asked the question that had popped into his own mind._

"_Would you really use that on me, Spencer?" The man stepped forward and took the gun from his hands, placing it back on the table. Reid let him. The man was right. He didn't know if he would be able to even use the gun on him._

"_I think you should just leave," Reid said._

"_Okay...but you're coming with." The man had moved quickly, and before Reid could do anything, he felt a small prick in his neck. He was too shocked to react, and soon the world began to sway around him. Ironically, he reached out to the man who drugged him to steady himself._

"_Just relax, Spencer. It will be over soon," he heard the man whisper. He felt himself collapsing into the man's arms, and everything went completely black._


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or its characters... WHAT? I DON'T?... Well, that ruins my birthday plans for the evening...**

**I appreciate reviews and comments!**

* * *

Reid woke with a start and bolted upright, breathing heavily.

"Whoa, calm down, kid," Morgan said as he placed a hand on his shoulder.

Reid leaned back to his bed and tried to slow his breathing. He realized he must have been asleep for quite awhile. Hotch and Rossi had joined Morgan in chairs on the other side of the bed.

"You okay?" Morgan asked.

Reid nodded. "He drugged me."

"We know, Reid," Hotch said.

"No...in my apartment. He drugged me in my apartment."

"Do you remember anything else?" Rossi asked.

"Yeah. He was saying that he wanted to take me away, that I didn't have to hurt anymore. I told him I didn't want to go with, but he said he was prepared for that, which now I realize meant drugging me."

"You still don't remember the man?"

"It's weird," Reid said. "It's like I can see him, but I can't see his face or figure out where I know his voice from... I shouldn't have let my guard down."

"Reid, you trusted this man," Hotch said. "You had no way of knowing what he'd do."

Reid was quiet for a moment before he asked, "How'd he get me out of my apartment? You said my car was still there."

"This man is smart and organized," Rossi said. "He knew how to hide from the cameras, he came prepared with the drugs. He would have had a vehicle waiting at your building."

"Then why did he let me go?"

"Maybe he didn't. Maybe you escaped," Morgan suggested.

"And I just happened to find your place?" Reid asked as he looked towards Hotch.

"I don't know, Reid, but there really isn't anything more we can do right now but hope you gain all of your memory back."

* * *

_Reid slowly began to become aware of the world around him again. Wherever he was, it was deathly quiet. The only noise he heard was the soft patter of the rain on the window sill. He realized he was lying on a soft bed and opened his eyes to look around the room he was in. He was still a bit groggy as he took in the room, but something about it was eerily familiar to him._

* * *

Reid began to wake once again as he felt someone poking him. He heard hushed voices and giggling.

"Stop it, Garcia."

"I'm just making sure he's still alive. He hasn't moved like an inch since we got here."

"He needs to rest."

"Well, from what Morgan said, he's been resting pretty much since he got here."

"Will you two be quiet? You're going to wake him up."

"Oh god..." Reid groaned.

"To late..."

"I think I just woke up to my worst nightmare," Reid said as he opened his eyes.

"Not nice, Reid," Garcia said, and Reid smiled.

"We're your worst nightmare?" JJ asked.

"No. A room full of women fussing over me is." They laughed at his statement, and Reid was grateful for the lighter mood.

"How are you feeling, Spence?"

"Much better," Reid said truthfully.

"We would have come sooner, but Hotch insisted we let you rest," Emily said.

"That's okay. Where are they anyway?"

"We decided to give them a break and sent them home."

"You mean you actually got Morgan to go home?"

"It took a little doing, but I find I can be very persuasive," Garcia smiled mischievously.

"I don't think I even want to know," Reid said.

"Oh, I do!" JJ said excitedly.

"I think my nightmare just became worse," Reid groaned. "Will you please not talk about it here? You might drive me insane if you guys start gossiping."

They continued talking for awhile, but Reid eventually stopped listening to them. After it had been quiet for awhile, Reid finally asked the question that had been bugging him.

"Did it rain here Friday night?"

"I don't think so," Emily answered. "Why?"

"It was raining," Reid said slowly. "Wherever I was, it was raining." Reid became lost in thought as he thought back to hearing the rain outside the window.

* * *

_Reid sat up in the bed slowly, pausing for a moment to let the dizziness pass. He wasn't tied up. But did he expect to be? That's usually what happens when you're kidnapped, he reasoned. But this was him. He wouldn't tie Reid up. But then if someone would have asked Reid yesterday if he thought this man would do something like this, he would have just laughed at the thought._

_He should have known better, though. How many times has he seen something like this happen in his line of work? Someone you know. Someone you trust. Someone you least expect._


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or its characters... I was threatened by two reviewers with knives... and one with a frying pan, so here's the next chapter!**

**I appreciate reviews and comments... even if they contain threats... Remind me never to tell you guys where I live...**

* * *

"Hey, Reid, are you ready to bust out of this joint?" Morgan asked as he came in Reid's room on Tuesday morning.

"Definitely."

"Good. Then I will give you a lift to your place. Hotch said he'll have two officers posted outside your building."

"I'm fine. I don't need them," Reid protested. "Besides, I want to go to the BAU."

"Reid, you are not working. You need to take a couple days to rest."

"I know, but I want to look at the security tapes to see if anything jogs my memory about the man."

Morgan sighed. "Fine, but the doctor said you may not be completely out of the woods yet, so promise me you'll tell someone if you don't feel good."

"I will," Reid agreed.

* * *

_Reid was about to get up off the bed, but stopped when he heard a creaking noise coming from the hallway. The noise came again, and Reid realized the man must be coming to the room._

* * *

"Reid, what are you doing here?" Hotch asked as he and Morgan came into the bullpen, but he was mostly giving Morgan a stern look.

"He insisted on coming here to look at the security tapes," Morgan said.

"Alright, but as soon as you're done, Reid, I don't want to see you here."

Reid nodded and headed for Garcia's office.

"Hey, Reid. How are you feeling?"

"Good. I finally feel like my brain can fully function again...well, besides remembering what happened."

"It will come to you. Oh, I checked to see where it was raining Friday night. It lowers down the area where you could have been, but it's still quite a large area."

"Thanks. Can I see the security footage of me leaving?"

"Sure thing, hun," Garcia responded. She had the footage up on the screen within a couple of minutes.

Reid watched himself in the parking garage and watched the man come up behind him. Hotch and Rossi were right. Though he didn't realize it then, the man was purposely hiding his face from the camera.

* * *

"_Good. You're awake," the man said as he entered the room._

"_Why are you doing this?" Reid asked._

"_I already told you that."_

"_You can't keep me here. I'm leaving."_

"_No, I don't think you are." The man pulled Reid's gun from the back of his belt as if to emphasize his point._

"_Would you really use that on me?" Reid asked a little harshly, repeating the same thing the man had asked him earlier._

"_No. I don't want to hurt you. Not unless I have to."_

"_You don't have to. You don't have to keep me here. Just let me go, and we can forget all about it."_

"_I can't do that, Spencer," the man said as he walked over and sat on a chair beside the bed._

_Reid took the opportunity as soon as he saw it. He bolted off the bed and ran from the room. As he searched for a doorway out, he heard the man calling out to him._

"_There's nowhere to go, Spencer!"_

_Reid found a door at the back of the house, and as soon as he opened it he realized the man was right. They were in the middle of the woods. He had nowhere to go, and there would be no one to ask for help._

_But Reid didn't care. He just ran. He didn't stop to see if the man had chased after him. He had to get out and as far away from him as he could. He ran through the rain and mud and could feel the branches and twigs catching on his clothing and ripping them and scratching his face._

_Reid didn't know how long he was running, but he suddenly realized he would probably pass out if he didn't stop and rest. He found a tree stump to sit on and listened carefully for any signs that the man had followed him._

* * *

"Reid?" Garcia asked. "Reid!"

"Huh?"

"You okay? You kinda spaced out there for a minute."

"Yeah, fine."

"You sure?" He nodded. "Did the video help you remember anything?"

"We were in the woods."

Garcia gave him a questioning look. "How exactly did that video remind you of woods?"

"Garcia..."

"Sorry. Never mind. But unfortunately, that doesn't help much either. There are plenty of wooded areas outside the city."

"I just wish I could actually remember something useful," Reid said, frustrated.

"Like who the man was?" Garcia offered.

"Yeah," Reid sighed.


	7. Chapter 7

****

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or its characters... But I do own my laptop, on which I can pretend I do and write these stories!

**I appreciate reviews and comments!**

* * *

"So do you think that's how you escaped?" Morgan asked. The two of them were standing in the break room discussing what Reid had just remembered.

"I don't know. Then how did I get to Hotch's a day later? And I had different clothes on that weren't mine."

"I don't know."

Hotch interrupted them as he and Rossi came into the room. "Reid, I thought I told you to go home after you were done."

"Actually, you just told me you didn't want to see me," Reid corrected automatically.

"Reid..."

"Sorry."

Reid turned around to leave, but Hotch put his hand on Reid's shoulder, stopping him. "And Reid..."

Reid's mind was suddenly sent whirling. A hand, the cold, the rain. A shower, a bed, a gun. Arguing. Lots of Arguing... A car ride... And a needle... He tried as best he could to keep the memories separate as they all seemed to suddenly rush at him at once in one muddled group.

* * *

_Reid jumped as he felt a hand on his shoulder. He quickly stood up and whipped around to find the man had snuck up on him._

"_How'd you find me?"_

"_I know these woods like the back of my hand... And you've been running in circles."_

_Reid debated whether or not he should run, but he realized he was lost. He didn't know which way to go, and the man would probably find him again anyways._

"_Why don't we go back," the man suggested. "You'll get sick if you stay out here in this cold and rain."_

_Reid silently followed the man, knowing he didn't really have any other choice._

* * *

"_Why don't you take a nice hot shower? I have extra clothes you can wear," the man said when they had gone back inside._

_Reid didn't want to, but he agreed when he realized he was shivering uncontrollably. After he got into the bathroom, he stripped of his soaked, ripped clothing and stepped into the shower. As he let the warm water wash over him, his thoughts wandered to the man in the other room._

_The man had kidnapped him, but he was also taking care of him. Reid didn't think the man would hurt him, but he didn't want to take any chances. The only way he would be able to leave would be if there was a vehicle here, but the man was smart. He wouldn't leave the keys lying around._

* * *

"_You should go lie down. We can talk tomorrow," the man said as Reid came out of the bathroom. The tone of his voice was endearing, like this was a normal, everyday thing, not like Reid was brought here against his will._

_He decided it was better not to argue. He was sore and tired, and it would only anger the man if he tried to argue. As he walked towards the bedroom, he vaguely wondered how late it actually was. His mind didn't have time to wander too far as he got onto the bed, though, because he quickly fell asleep._

* * *

_Reid eyed his own gun that the man had hooked on his belt. It never left his side, and Reid wasn't sure if he wanted to risk finding out whether or not the man would fulfill his threat if he tried to leave._

* * *

"_Are you hungry, Spencer?" the man asked cheerfully. "I can make you something to eat."_

"_Would you stop acting like this is some sort of weekend getaway? Or did you forget that I'm not here because I want to be?"_

"_Give it time. You'll understand."_

"_I don't want to give it time! I want to leave!"_

* * *

"_Why are you so bent on keeping me here?"_

"_I told you, you don't need to hurt anymore."_

"_I'm not hurting."_

"_Your job is hurting you, Spencer. Don't deny that it isn't."_

"_Maybe sometimes it's not the most pleasant job, but I love my job."_

"_Stop lying to yourself. It only makes it worse."_

* * *

"_I'm leaving. You can't force me to stay here."_

"_No. You have to stay, Spencer. I don't wan to have to hurt you."_

* * *

"_What has gotten into you?"_

"_Nothing, Spencer. I've just realized how much you need my help. Before it's too late."_

"_Too late for what?"_

"_Before your job destroys you."_

_As he watched the man, Reid came to the conclusion that the man wasn't in his right mind._

* * *

"_Why won't you just let me leave?"_

"_Don't you get it, Spencer? I'm trying to help you! To protect you!"_

"_No! You're not helping me! By keeping me here, you're only hurting me! You drugged me! You didn't think THAT would hurt me?"_

_The man was silent, and Reid was sure his statement had gotten to him._

"_I didn't want to hurt you," the man said quietly._

"_I know...so just let me go."_

* * *

_The man parked the vehicle on the side of the street._

"_You don't have to do it," Reid said. "I promise I won't tell anyone."_

"_Maybe not," the man said sadly, "but you work with profilers. They will know something is on your mind."_

_Before Reid could move, the man had taken the needle and plunged it into Reid's thigh._


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or its characters... If I did, my life would officially be complete!**

**I appreciate reviews and comments!**

* * *

"Reid..." A voice interrupted the semi-peaceful state that he seemed to be in. Something made him want to stay there, in the median between consciousness and complete oblivion, but someone was calling his name persistently again, and there was a hand on his shoulder shaking him lightly. "Reid..."

His confusion and curiosity finally getting the best of him, Reid slowly opened his eyes. He quickly realized he was lying on the couch in the break room. This was the second time he had woken up on a couch with absolutely no memory of how he got there, and Hotch was kneeling next to him again. He could also see Morgan and Rossi standing behind Hotch, all of them looking worriedly down at him.

"What happened?" Reid asked.

"You passed out," Hotch told him once again.

Reid looked up at Hotch. "I'm having a strange sense of déjà vu."

"So am I," Hotch responded, "and I'm not particularly liking it."

"Neither am I," Reid agreed as he sat up.

"Are you okay?" Morgan asked.

"Yeah."

"We should take you back to the hospital."

"No, I'm fine," Reid protested adamantly. "I just... I think I remembered more than my brain could process at the moment."

"What exactly did you remember?" Rossi asked.

"I wasn't supposed to remember."

"What do you mean?"

"I... I talked him into letting me go, but the drug he used... it was supposed to make me forget."

* * *

"I'll be back in a minute, Reid. Then I'll take you home," Morgan said to Reid.

Reid nodded, and Morgan left the room, leaving Reid with Hotch and Rossi.

"I'm going to have Morgan stay with you," Hotch told him.

"Hotch, I'll be fine by myself. I promise I will rest."

"Reid, you just passed out. I'm not leaving you alone," Hotch responded sternly.

Reid was about to protest again, but Rossi stopped him. "Reid, just be glad he's not making you go to the hospital," he offered.

"I'm sorry, Reid. I know you don't like being treated like this, but it's for your own good."

* * *

_Reid sat there, undeniably stunned, staring at his thigh where the man had just injected the drug. He could feel the drug as it began to course through his veins._

"_You should go before it begins to take effect... I'm sorry, Spencer."_

_Reid looked up at the man next to him. He looked into the man's eyes and finally saw part of the man he once knew._

* * *

"Reid? Are you okay?" Hotch asked as he saw Reid's eyes glaze over momentarily before he suddenly became pale. Both he and Rossi instinctively stepped closer, afraid he was going to pass out again.

Reid suddenly sank to his knees, and Hotch and Rossi quickly reached out to try to steady him. A look of horror spread across Reid's face.

"Reid? What's wrong?"

Reid didn't answer, but pushed their prying hands away as he got up and hurriedly left the room. He ignored his two colleagues calling out to him. He didn't know exactly where he was going, but quickly found himself in the men's restroom. He felt sick and ran into one of the stalls, closing and locking the stall door behind him. He couldn't stop the contents of his stomach from emptying into the toilet in front of him. As he finally felt there was nothing left in his stomach to throw up, he flushed the toilet and left the stall.

He ignored Hotch, who had apparently followed him into the restroom, and went to the sink, splashing some water onto his face before wiping it dry. Hotch didn't say anything, but Reid knew he had been there long enough to hear him vomiting and could tell he was watching him closely. He placed his hands on the sink in front of him and leaned forward as he closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. Finally, he looked up and met Hotch's eye through the mirror.

"Come on," Hotch finally said. "We're taking you back to the hospital. No arguments."

Reid didn't argue, but he didn't agree either. Both men stood there silently for a few minutes before Reid was finally able to speak. "Hotch..." Reid wasn't exactly sure he would be able to even say the words he wanted to, but he forced himself to say them, trying to forget about the consequences of their meaning. "I... I remember... who..."

"What do you remember, Reid?" Hotch asked carefully in an effort to encourage him to say what he was trying to say. "Do you know who did this?"

After another minute, Reid was finally able to force the right words out of his mouth. "Hotch... It... it was Gideon."


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or its characters... I'm not one to spontaneously break out in dance, but WOW, over 100 reviews!!! :) *spontaneous happy dance***

**Only one more chapter left after this one! I (obviously) appreciate reviews and comments!**

* * *

Reid couldn't look at him directly in the eye anymore, but he could still see a look of shock on Hotch's face as the realization came crashing down on him. It was only there for a moment though, before he seemed to regain his usual composure.

"Are you absolutely sure, Reid?" he asked in disbelief.

Reid was sure. He didn't have any doubts anymore about who the man was. It was Gideon. His former mentor. That's why the man knew where and when to find him. That's why the man knew exactly where all of the cameras in the parking garage were. That's why he had let the man into his car and his home. That's why the cabin he had been taken to looked so familiar. That's why he had been dropped off near Hotch's house.

And that's why Reid had trusted him.

"Yes. I'm sure," Reid said sadly. He had spent all this time desperately trying to remember who had done this to him, but now, he wished he didn't know. It hurt worse to know.

Hotch finally moved from his spot across the small room and approached Reid, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Reid..."

"It wasn't him, Hotch."

"What? You just said-"

"No... I mean, it was him, but it wasn't him," Reid clarified. "He isn't the same person anymore. I think he was suffering from a psychotic break or something."

They were silent for a moment, both still trying to fully process Reid's final remembrance. "Come on," Hotch finally said, leading Reid out of the bathroom. Rossi and Morgan were standing a little ways away talking to each other. Rossi had obviously told Morgan what had happened after he left, and JJ and Prentiss were starting to approach them, too.

"Are you okay, Reid?" Morgan asked without trying to hide his obvious concern. Reid merely nodded in response. "Should I take you home now?"

"There's been a change in plan," Hotch simply said, and Reid was immediately grateful that Hotch wasn't sending him home anymore.

"What's going on?" Rossi asked. Hotch didn't answer, but instead started walking away. Reid immediately followed. The others, after overcoming their initial shock from Hotch's abrupt departure, followed close behind. All of them were extremely curious to find out what was going on.

* * *

"Okay, not that I don't love you all, but what are all of you doing in my office?" Garcia asked as everyone filed into her office.

"Garcia, I need you to find anything you can on someone during the past few years," Hotch said.

"Sure thing. Who am I looking for?" Garcia asked innocently.

"Gideon." The room suddenly became quiet. No one could hold back their shocked expressions.

"Hotch, what is this about?" Morgan asked.

Hotch sighed and glanced at Reid before speaking to everyone else. "Gideon's the one who took Reid."

"What?"

Reid could feel everyone's eyes turn to him, but he stared down at the floor, unable to meet any of them.

"Why the hell would Gideon do something like that?" Morgan asked incredulously.

Hotch ignored his question and turned back to Garcia. "Garcia."

"Uh, right," she said before beginning to type away on the computer.

"Reid thinks he might have had a psychotic break of some sort," Hotch informed them. The room turned silent again except for the typing noises coming from Garcia's computer.

"I'm not finding anything," Garcia finally said. "He completely disappeared after leaving the BAU... Oh..."

"What is it?"

"His son died a few months ago. Car accident."

"That could cause a psychotic break in his already damaged mind," Hotch reasoned. No one had to mention the way Gideon had left the BAU and why.

"He could have still felt guilty for leaving," Prentiss offered. "When his son died, he probably blamed himself, eventually displacing his guilt onto leaving Reid."

"The kid was like a son to him," Morgan admitted. The team continued analyzing the situation, oblivious to the fact that they were profiling Gideon as if he were just another unsub. They also seemed to be talking almost as if Reid wasn't there in the room with them. But Reid didn't notice since he had stopped listened to them anyway. He had other things on his mind.

"Hotch," Reid suddenly interrupted as a thought occurred to him. "We need to find him, now! He's probably still at his cabin."

"Reid? What is it?"

"I-I'm afraid he might hurt himself, Hotch. We need to get there before he does anything."

"Reid... It's been almost three days," Hotch spoke as gently as he could. "You have to realize the possibility that he might-"

"I know, but what if he hasn't yet?" Reid didn't want to think of the possibility that Gideon had already hurt himself, but deep down he still knew Hotch was right.

"Let's go," Hotch finally agreed.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I still do not own Criminal Minds or its characters... And it still makes me very sad...**

**Last Chapter! I appreciate reviews and comments!**

* * *

They entered the cabin quietly, weapons drawn only as a precaution. If Gideon was there, they had no way of knowing how he would react to their presence. Hotch also ordered Reid to stay outside, and he reluctantly obeyed, not wanting to unsettle Gideon any more than he might already be. Reid knew without a doubt that Hotch also had an ulterior motive for wanting him to stay outside. He didn't want Reid to be in there if they found they were already too late.

The rest of the team found Gideon quickly. They were relieved to find that they were not, in fact, too late. He was sitting in an armchair facing away from them. Hotch motioned for everyone else to stay back as he took a few steps towards Gideon.

"Jason?" he called out gently. He didn't want to startle him, but judging by the lack of reaction, Hotch guessed Gideon had heard their vehicles pull in and knew they were there. Hotch slowly made his way around the furniture so that he was positioned in front of Gideon. Again, Gideon didn't acknowledge his presence, and only continued staring down at the object he held in his hands on his lap.

"Jason," he tried again. "Why don't you give the gun to me." It wasn't just any gun, Hotch knew. He was sure it was Reid's missing gun.

Gideon didn't make any move to hand over the gun. Without taking his eyes off it, he finally spoke. "I should have known... I should have known he'd remember. His mind works differently than everyone else's..."

The cabin fell silent again until Gideon finally looked up at Hotch. "Is he okay? I didn't mean to hurt him," he spoke in an almost pleading voice.

"He's fine," Hotch assured him. "And I know you didn't want to hurt him... I also know about Stephen."

Gideon looked back down towards the gun in his hands at the mention of his son. "He was all I had left... I can't... I can't do this anymore, Aaron."

Hotch knew what those words meant and exactly what they were leading up to. "Yes, you can. Hand the gun to me. We can help you through this, Jason."

"No... No, I don't think you can," Gideon spoke softly as a tear slid down his cheek. He slowly began to lift the gun up.

"Jason..." Hotch called carefully.

Gideon stopped, and slowly the gun began to lower back down, but it wasn't Hotch's call that caused this reaction.

"Gideon..." Everyone was surprised to see Reid standing in the doorway. All of them had been too focused on Gideon to notice he had disobeyed Hotch's order to stay outside, but no one made any effort to stop him.

Gideon didn't look up at Reid as he approached and knelt down in front of him. Reid didn't say anything, and finally, Gideon looked him directly in the eye. The rest of the team watched in simultaneous worry and amazement as Reid carefully reached for the gun in Gideon's hand without speaking a single word. No words apparently needed to be said between the two. Their locked gaze seemed to portray everything that remained unspoken. Gideon's eyes said he was sorry. Reid's said he was forgiven.

Astonishingly, Gideon made no attempt to stop him and let the gun be taken from his grip. A collective sigh of relief was let out throughout the room as Reid handed the gun back to Hotch. Gideon finally looked away from Reid as another tear slid down his cheek, and suddenly, Reid felt like he couldn't be there anymore. He had a sudden need to get out of the cabin. He stood up and hurried past everyone, ignoring Morgan's call out to him.

"Let him go," Hotch ordered as Morgan started to follow after Reid. He knew Reid needed a few minutes alone. He, himself, even would have liked a moment alone, but he knew that would have to wait until later.

* * *

Reid went around to the side of the cabin and leaned back against the wall, unsure of what he should be feeling right now. Slowly, he sank into a sitting position on the ground and stared out at the woods that surrounded the cabin. He wondered how it could be so peaceful out here after what had just happened inside and while his insides were in an emotional turmoil.

He felt numb. A weight had finally been lifted, but it just didn't feel right. Gideon was still hurting. He, himself, was still hurting. He didn't fully understand this, and he knew he likely never would.

He closed his eyes and listened to the peaceful sounds around him, trying to clear his mind of the sadness and guilt that was washing over him.

"He'll be okay, Reid. We'll get him the help he needs."

Reid stayed still as he heard Hotch's footsteps approaching him. He wanted to be alone, yet he welcomed the company. "I can't help but think all of this could have been avoided somehow," Reid finally spoke as he opened his eyes and looked up towards Hotch.

"Some things just can't, Reid, but he'll be okay, and that's all because of you. I honestly don't think any of us would have been able to talk him down. And you did it without even saying a word to him."

"How... how am I supposed to make sense of this?" Reid asked.

"You may not now, but you will eventually," Hotch answered simply. "Just give it time."

Give it time. Those were the exact same words Gideon had spoken to him only a few days ago. Then, those words seemed ridiculous. Now, they seemed to make sense. At the moment, he didn't think there was enough time in the world to make sense of what happened, but he hoped Hotch was right. He hoped he would eventually be able to go back to his life without having Gideon on his mind all the time. He did it once before.

Hotch began to walk back towards the front of the cabin, but Reid stayed there for a while longer, wondering. Would he be able to do it again?

* * *

_We're never so vulnerable than when we trust someone - but paradoxically, if we cannot trust, neither can we find love or joy. ~ Walter Anderson_

* * *

**~ The End ~**

**Thanks for reading! I hope you liked it! And thank you so much for your many reviews and comments!**

**Please let me know your thoughts (good, bad, weird, funny, boring, whatever you like) ~ I enjoy reading your reactions! :)**


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